"Part villain and part victim, Rigoletto is one of the most complex characters in operatic literature. John Pierce powerfully evokes the character's shades and nuances dramatically while plumbing the musical depths of one of the greatest baritone roles in the Italian repertory.Unfortunately, opening night, Pierce suffered an injury just before intermission. The announcer relayed this information at the beginning of the second half saying, however, that Pierce had decided to soldier on, despite his injury.He performed the last half of the opera with crutches, masterfully managing to alter his staging without missing a beat and singing with the same thrilling fervor he had before." Sheryl Jensen, Duluth News Tribune, June 24th, 2017.